Elizabeth was now sure that Miss Bingley's dislike of her came from jealousy. She wondered how politely — or coldly — Miss Bingley would greet her at Pemberley.
When they arrived, they were led into a bright, beautiful sitting room with a lovely view of the hills and trees behind the house. There, Georgiana sat with Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley, and her companion, Mrs. Annesley. Georgiana greeted them politely, though she seemed nervous and unsure of herself — a shyness that could easily be mistaken for pride by people who didn't know her well. Elizabeth and her aunt, however, understood and felt sympathy for her instead.
Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley only nodded coolly, and an awkward silence followed. Mrs. Annesley, a friendly and well-mannered woman, tried to start a conversation, and Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth helped keep it going. Georgiana looked as though she wanted to join in but rarely found the courage to speak.
Elizabeth noticed that Miss Bingley was watching her closely, especially whenever she spoke to Georgiana. This made her hesitant to talk much, though she didn't entirely mind the quiet, since her thoughts were elsewhere — she couldn't stop wondering whether Mr. Darcy would appear.
After sitting quietly for a while, refreshments were finally brought in, giving everyone something to do besides make awkward conversation. Soon after, Mr. Darcy entered the room. Elizabeth immediately noticed how carefully everyone watched his reaction upon seeing her there — especially Miss Bingley, who still hoped to win his attention for herself. Darcy seemed pleased that his sister and Elizabeth were getting along, encouraging their conversation as much as possible.
Frustrated by this, Miss Bingley suddenly asked, with false politeness, "Hasn't the militia left Meryton? That must have been quite a loss for your family." Elizabeth understood immediately that Miss Bingley was hinting at Wickham, hoping to embarrass her in front of Darcy. Though the comment briefly troubled her, Elizabeth calmly gave a simple, unbothered answer. She noticed Darcy watching her intensely, while Georgiana looked deeply uncomfortable, unable to meet anyone's eyes — though Miss Bingley had no idea that Georgiana had once nearly eloped with Wickham herself.
Fortunately, Elizabeth's calm reaction quickly eased the tension, and their visit soon ended. As Darcy walked them to their carriage, Miss Bingley immediately began criticizing Elizabeth's looks to Georgiana, calling her "tanned and rough-looking." Georgiana, however, refused to agree, trusting her brother's high opinion of Elizabeth completely.
When Darcy returned, Miss Bingley repeated her harsh comments directly to him, insisting Elizabeth looked "brown and rough," with plain features and unattractive eyes. Darcy calmly replied that he saw nothing different about Elizabeth except a bit of suntan from summer travel.
Growing frustrated by his lack of reaction, Miss Bingley reminded him that he once said Elizabeth was no beauty at all. Darcy, finally annoyed, replied firmly that although he'd thought that when they first met, he now considered Elizabeth one of the most beautiful women he knew. He then walked away, leaving Miss Bingley regretting she had pushed the subject at all.
On their way home, Elizabeth and her aunt talked about everything from the visit — Georgiana, the house, the fruit — except the person who interested them most: Mr. Darcy himself.
Vocabulary List
- jealousy — a feeling of envy toward someone else's advantage or success.
- nervous — feeling anxious or worried.
- sympathy — a feeling of care or sorrow for someone's difficulty.
- awkward — causing embarrassment or discomfort.
- hesitant — slow to act or speak because of uncertainty.
- frustrated — feeling annoyed because something isn't going as wanted.
- false politeness — appearing polite while actually being unkind or insincere.
- embarrass — to cause someone to feel uncomfortable or ashamed.
- unbothered — not upset or affected by something.
- tension — a feeling of nervousness or unease between people.
- harsh — severe, unkind, or overly critical.
- plain — simple in appearance; not especially attractive.
- annoyed — slightly angry or irritated.
- regret — to feel sorry about something one has done.
- interested — having curiosity or attention toward something or someone.
True or False
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Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley greet Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner warmly and enthusiastically.
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Miss Bingley mentions the militia leaving Meryton in order to embarrass Elizabeth.
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Miss Bingley knows that Wickham once tried to elope with Georgiana.
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Georgiana agrees with Miss Bingley's criticism of Elizabeth's looks.
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Darcy ends up saying that he considers Elizabeth one of the most beautiful women he knows.
Fill in the Blanks
- Georgiana's companion is named Mrs. .
- Miss Bingley asks whether the militia has left .
- Miss Bingley describes Elizabeth as looking " and rough" since the winter.
- Darcy says he now considers Elizabeth one of the most women he knows.
- On the ride home, Elizabeth and her aunt talk about everything except .